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KERALA: Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old vlogger from Haryana recently arrested on charges of espionage for Pakistan, had earlier visited Kerala on an official invitation from the state government, said an RTI (Right to Information) reply that has now surfaced.
Malhotra was part of a tourism promotion campaign organised by the Kerala Tourism Department, which funded a group of social media influencers to enhance the state’s digital visibility as a travel destination.
The RTI response confirms that Malhotra’s travel, stay, and itinerary expenses were fully covered by the department during her visit.
As per official records, Jyoti Malhotra toured Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar between 2024 and 2025 under the government’s influencer collaboration initiative. Her participation was listed alongside several other digital creators active between January 2024 and May 2025.
Investigations have since revealed that Malhotra had travelled to Pakistan multiple times and had established contacts with officials from Pakistani intelligence agencies, including personnel from the Pakistan High Commission. One such official was later expelled by India after their association came to light.
Malhotra is one of 12 individuals arrested across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh as part of a coordinated crackdown on a suspected spy ring that allegedly targeted Indian social media influencers to gather intelligence.
Her YouTube channel, ‘Travel with Jo’, hosts 487 videos, many of which are from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Thailand.
Notably, one of her earlier viral videos featured her wearing a Kerala sari and attending a Theyyam performance in Kannur.(Agencies)
